HL Deb 20 July 1961 vol 233 cc774-5
LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government if they will state the approximate number of passengers who now annually arrive by aeroplane at London Airport, and how many more it is anticipated will arrive in each of the next five years; and how soon it is expected that the maximum number of aeroplanes it is possible for the Airport to handle will be reached.]

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, 2,652,262 passengers arrived by air at London (Heathrow) Airport in 1960. This figure is expected to increase over the next five years at the rate of about 500,000 passengers a year. Present indications are that by about 1970 the Airport will be handling as many aircraft during a busy hour as it will ever be able to handle.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that Answer, may I ask whether he could tell me if the Government have any plans for the future after 1970, because the number of passengers is bound to go on increasing from that time on?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, because of the eventual limit on the number of aircraft that can be in the air and on the runways of Heathrow, the development of Gatwick and the planning of a third major airport for London is necessary. Architects have been invited to prepare plans and estimates of costs for the second half of the terminal building at Gatwick, and the consulting engineers have been invited to carry out a survey with a view to preparing cost estimates for the second runway. In any event, a second runway will not be needed there until after 1965. A good deal of thought has been given to the location of the third airport. This will be affected by the development of supersonic aircraft, but on present form Stansted seems to be the most likely candidate, being in a good position to deal with the northerly traffic and already having a 10,000-foot runway built by the United States air force.

LORD OGMORE

My Lords, before we get to 1970, could the noble Lord tell us when it is proposed to complete the central buildings at Heathrow so as to deal with long-haul aircraft? Secondly, has he any comment to make on the complaints being made on congestion at Gatwick?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, the long-haul terminal buildings at London Airport are under construction. I cannot at the moment give the noble Lord a date of completion, but I will find out that information and let him know. With regard to congestion at Gatwick, I think that is slightly outside the scope of the original Question.